Anheuser-Busch orders 40 new electric Tesla semis

Tesla CEO says rig will drive like a sports car and 'will blow your mind clear out of your skull and into an alternate dimension.'

By

Susan McFarland

Tesla's electric semi-truck, announced last month, can go 500 miles with a full load at highway speeds -- twice the distance of most U.S. freight routes. Photo by Tesla/UPI | License Photo

Tesla's electric semi-truck, announced last month, can go 500 miles with a full load at highway speeds -- twice the distance of most U.S. freight routes. Photo by Tesla/UPI | License Photo

Tesla's latest vehicle, an electric semi-truck, seen here in this company handout, was announced in Hawthorne, California, on November 16, 2017. The semi-truck can go 500 miles with a full load at highway speeds, which is twice the distance of most U.S. freight routes. Photo by Tesla/UPI | License Photo

"We put the reservations down so we can prioritize our place in line," Sembrot said. "We don't know who the carrier is going to be in two to three years when these things are actually produced."

Deposits for the trucks have climbed from $5,000 to $20,000 since Tesla's first announcement, and will likely be sold for between $150,000 and $200,000.

The electric automaker has not said how many customers have placed deposits for the trucks, or who potential customers are -- but some some reports say at least 140 semis have been pre-ordered, including 15 from Wal-Mart.

Some trucking companies are not yet as eager to jump on board with Tesla.

"We're going to sit on the sidelines and watch that develop," said James Welch, chief executive of YRC Worldwide Inc. "Recharging time has to be quick because you're paying a driver whether he or she is running or sitting."